Lugi
by Mrsfillylover
Summary: In which Loki gains a new nickname and Odin learns something new about his youngest son. Teen!Thor and Loki.


**A/N Disclaimer: I do not own THOR**

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It wasn't as though the weather was particularly bad in Asgard, only that the youngest prince much preferred to stay inside and in the shade. He had never been one for spending his time in the sun's heat, quite unlike his brother, Thor. Thor had always enjoyed long rides and gruelling training sessions while Loki, when allowed, spent his time practicing magic and reading his way through the castle library. As such, it was no surprise that Thor only ran into his younger brother upon reentering the palace after his afternoon training.

The eldest prince strode down the wide corridors within the safety of his group of friends. Loki sat between two pillars with his back pressed flat against the wall and his knees hunched up to his chin. In his pale hands he held a leather-bound book giving an indepth history of Asgard. His head jerked up when an all too familiar sound echoed down the corridor; several sets footsteps accompanied by raucous laughter announced the arrival of his least favorite group of people, Thor and his friends Fandral, and Volstaag. Hoping he wouldn't be noticed, Loki stood from his hiding place and hurried down the corridor with his back to the group.

"Oi, Lugi!" Thor called, a broad grin on his face.

Loki clenched a fist and clutched his book so tightly his knuckles turned white as he turned around to face his brother. "My name is Loki," he snarled.

The blond boy raised his eyebrows, "What a tone to use with your future king, is that what you call respect?"

Loki raised his chin angrily. "Who says that you are my future king? And here's some advice, call me by my name and then, maybe, I'll respect you."

Thor let out a laugh, swiftly copied by his friends. Then, without warning, he swung a punch at the side of Loki's face. The younger boy ducked just in time and aimed a kick at his brother's legs. Failing to dodge his brother's kick, Thor tumbled over Loki and sprawled on the floor.

"Still fighting sneaky are you, Lugi?" Fandral jeered.

The youngest prince stood from his crouch and tried to back away down the corridor only to be tackled to the ground by his brother. Pinned to the marble floor, Loki struggled to shift his brother off of him.

"Hey!" Two sets of footsteps marching in time came closer and closer to the two princes. Guards clad entirely in gold hauled Thor off his brother and pulled Loki to his feet. Loki fought against the guard's grip on him, trying desperately to land a blow. "King Odin will want to speak with both of you."

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The two guards pulled the princes through corridors until, at last, they reached the throne room. Sat upon his throne was Odin, King of Asgard.

"You have grown arrogant, my son," Odin said gravely, looking down at his two sons from his throne on the dais, "and you, Loki-"

"Lugi," Thor said, hiding the word behind a forced cough.

"-only ever leaving the library to start a fight with your brother. What must the people think of you? Their princes brawling like a pair drunkards."

"I think my fighting is much more structured than that," Loki said with a frown. Thor chuckled under his breath, he stopped abruptly when their father shot a glare his way. "Father, I was merely defending my honor; Thor and his 'friends' decided to spend their afternoon 'insulting' me!" One might have thought the twitch at the corner of Odin's mouth was that of amusement if it wasn't for the way his eyes seemed to smolder.

"I wasn't insulting you, Loki!" Thor exclaimed with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He turned to his father, "It was only a joke!"

"Do not pretend to be an innocent party in all this, Thor," Odin warned, "I know exactly what your intent was."

Thor's mouth shut with an audible snap, much to Loki's satisfaction. With a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth he let his drawling voice fill the vast throne room once more. "So, does this mean I can go? Only I have a magic lesson that has been postponed for far too long."

"Mind your tone," Odin warned. "Loki, your magic lesson is now cancelled, you and Thor are both confined to your chambers."

"Father," Thor exclaimed, "we are not children anymore!"

Odin stood from his throne, towering over his son's, "You behave like children so that is how you will be treated! When you behave like princes you will be treated as such."

* * *

Loki hurled his shoulder at the door, willing it to open. The collision jarred his teeth and left his shoulder with a painful ache. "Damn!" the prince swore, rubbing his shoulder. His book was still in the west wing corridor and now he was locked away in his rooms. Unless...

Spinning around, Loki launched himself onto his four poster bed covered in silk linens and reached into the space below his small bedside table. Having retrieved his treasure, the prince settled himself against the bed's wooden head board and began flipping through his book of spells.

Keeping the book hidden had, of course, been a necessary precaution to prevent Thor from stealing his most prized possession. Not to mention the trouble he would be in from his father if the news that it had gone missing from the library in the first place reached his ears.

The parchment pages were coated in lines of gold script and gorgeous illustrations. Loki, though it wasn't something he advertised, had always had an appreciation for beauty. Not the way Fandral 'appreciated' a woman's looks but they way an artist would the sunset or a musician would a new composition. If Thor ever got wind of this particular trait, Loki would no doubt be the laughing stalk of the whole of Asgard.

_Ah_, thought Loki, _here it is_. At the top of the page in shining, gold ink was the word, 'Teleportation'. "Teleportation is one of the most complex forms of magic yadda yadda yadda." The prince muttered the words out loud as his eyes skimmed down the page looking for the actual way to perform the spell properly. Certainly he had attempted to teleport before, who wouldn't try if they had the power to actually succeed? But, so far, he hadn't been able to produce a passable spell.

After finally locating the correct technique, Loki closed his eyes and concentrated hard on the west wing corridor. When his eyes opened, all around him was darkness, he couldn't even see himself when he looked down. Feeling panic rising in his throat, Loki fought to calm himself and took a tentative step forward. As soon as his foot hit the ground the darkness lifted and the prince was stood in the west wing corridor.

He grinned broadly and hurried over to where his book was still open on the floor.

"Loki," the prince stopped in his tracks, and slowly turned back around. Behind him stood his father. "I thought I told you that you were confined to your chambers. Return there immediately." Odin stood firmly in the center of the corridor before Loki, as immovable as a mountain.

Caught like prey before predator, Loki responded the only way he could think of in his momentary panic, with his sharp tongue. "I only wanted my book, is that such a crime?" Needless to say, he mentally slapped himself as soon as the words left his mouth.

"Know your place, Loki," Odin snarled, "you do yourself no favors."

"Then I suppose there is nothing left for me to do here," he drawled, bending down to pick up his book, only to find his father already holding it.

"'Asgardian History'," Odin mused, looking over the book's cover, "you never told me of an interest in history."

"Yes, well, I believed you to be too busy to take much interest in my reading habits," the last two words dropped like stones into the conversation. Loki was, as always, using his words as a shield when he felt vulnerable.

After a pregnant pause Odin finally spoke again, "Here," he handed the book to Loki, "you may take it back to your chambers."

Not wanting to press his luck, Loki took the book with a mumbled, "Thank you," and hurried around the corner towards his rooms.

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**A/N Thanks for reading! And don't' forget to REVIEW! **


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